Today's Reading - Matthew 26:20-29, Mark 14:17-25, Luke 22:14-30, John 13:21-30
Background
For nearly 2000 years people have gathered in homes, in tunnels, in caves, in cathedrals, in forests, in churches, and in many other places to take a piece of bread and drink the fruit of the vine to remember the body of Christ which bore our sins and the blood which washes us white as snow. In today's readings, Jesus initiates the Lord's Supper, the ordinance which has been such a blessing (and a source of much controversy) through the years.
There were two significant events that the gospels record as a part of the meal. First, Jesus revealed to the group that one of their number would betray him and identified Judas as the one though it seems that the rest didn't understand it completely. Judas slipped away to complete the single most despicable deed in world history - betraying the Son of God.
At the end of the meal, after Jesus has washed the disciple's feet and after he has served them the bread and the cup, they do one of the most mind-blowing things they could do. They get into an argument over who would be the greatest in Jesus' kingdom. The arrogance of these Galilean fishermen, tax collectors, political extremists, and other riff-raff arguing over who would be the greatest in the kingdom while Jesus is washing their feet and preparing to die is amazing.
Devotional - A Moment of Shame
Unbelievable. Ridiculous.
Jesus has just shown his heart and his purpose in two incredible ways. He bowed down and took a towel and washed the feet of the disciples. Then he shared a meal with them and included a loaf of bread and a glass of wine that carried the greatest symbolic message in history. His body was about to be brutalized as he bore the sins of the world - yours and mine included - and his blood would be shed for the forgiveness of our sins.
They were completely clueless about what they were doing and what Jesus meant. "This is my body which is for you." "This is the new covenant in my blood." It meant nothing to them. They simply had stars in their eyes, visions of glory. They were in Jerusalem, the seat of power, and they believed that things were about to start turning around. When Jesus was gathering the crowds in Galilee it was exciting, but then things turned bad, the crowds dwindled and their hopes faded. Then Jesus rode into Jerusalem and the adoring crowds shouted, "Hosanna," and their excitement began to rise again. Maybe he would rise up and take the reins of government as they had expected all along and establish himself as the true King of the Jews.
And, of course, they would be his trusted assistants, his cabinet, his court. They would be running things while he sat on the throne. Only one thing remained. Who would be the greatest? James and John had already fought for the places on Jesus' right and left, but now they all joined the fray. Who is the greatest? Me. No, me. No, me. Luke 22:24-30 tells the shameful story of their argument and Jesus' reminder that greatness in his kingdom comes from service.
Wow, how ridiculous those disciples were, right? I'm glad I never act like that, aren't you? I'm glad I never forgot what really matters? I'm glad I never get my eyes off the real kingdom onto my own kingdom, off of eternity onto the here and now, off of the things of God and onto the things of Dave. I'm so glad I never go on ego trips or become self-centered or...oops.
It would be easy to condemn the disciples if we didn't imitate them so often, wouldn't it? We may not be quite as crass as they were, but we follow their ways instead of walking in the ways of Christ. We join together in the Lord's Supper while also engaging in crass power wars in the church, fleshly behavior, and self-centeredness. When we give ourselves to Jesus, his will should become the only will that matters. But so often we, like the disciples, struggle for earthly greatness instead.
Father, forgive me for my failures to follow Christ on the way of the Cross. Help me to realize when I actions and attitudes do not flow from Calvary.
Think and Pray
Does your life flow from the Cross?
Do you live in service to others as Christ did, or in selfishness and ambition, like the disciples?
Are you walking in the way of the Cross or in the way of the world?
No comments:
Post a Comment